Francis Scott Key falls Central Maryland Tournament

The holidays have brought few on-court gifts for Francis Scott Key's girls varsity basketball team. Because of Monday's bad weather, the struggling Eagles have practiced just once in the last week, and in yesterday's first-round game of the second annual Central Maryland Basketball Tournament at Atholton, coach Brian Hollingsworth's 1-4 team faced defending champion Damascus of Montgomery County.

Unfortunately for Hollingsworth and his Eagles, there was no exchange counter to switch tournament pairings.

Damascus took advantage of five returning starters from a state semi-finalist team, including last year's Central Maryland Tournament Most Valuable Player Teresa Arnett, to defeat Francis Scott Key, 53-28, in the first game of the four-team tournament.

For Damascus, the versatile Arnett directed the Hornets' patient offense that shredded the Eagles' 2-3 zone defense with open jump shots and strong inside play by 6-foot-1 junior center Kristi Geary (12 points, nine rebounds). Arnett, a 5-foot-8 senior, also began her bid for a second MVP trophy with 10 points, five rebounds and four steals in limited playing time.

For slow-starting Francis Scott Key, 5-foot-1 senior guard Erin Murphey scored 11 of her team-high 13 points in the second half while grabbing four rebounds, also a team high.

The Eagles will try to salvage a much-needed victory in a consolation game against Montgomery County's Quince Orchard (2-4) at 2 p.m. today. Host Atholton (4-3), a 59-37 winner over Quince Orchard, takes on Damascus in the 6 p.m. championship game.